What the hell happened to Kenny Smith? So we have two rookies starting in the middle of our defense. I hope this kids a gamer.

Rookie defensive tackle Kenderick Allen will make his first career start Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Haslett said. Allen, an undrafted free agent from LSU, will replace injured veteran Willie Whitehead, who is sidelined with a knee injury. . . .
Cornerback Dale Carter (thigh), Stallworth (ankle) and Lewis (ankle) practiced on a limited basis Thursday. Their playing status will not be determined until Sunday, Haslett said. . . . Reserve quarterback Todd Bouman returned to practice Thursday after missing practice Wednesday because of a death in his family.

saint5221

12-05-2003 01:54 PM

Kenderick Allen to Start and injury updates

Well here is what the hell happened to Kenny Smith, he got beat out.

ALLEN GETS NOD: Former LSU defensive lineman Kenderick Allen will get his first NFL start for the Saints against the Bucs, Haslett said Thursday.

Allen, an undrafted free agent, began the season on the Saints practice squad and was added to the active roster in Week 5. He has been inactive for two games and has played in six games, including the last five, as a reserve.

Allen will start at defensive tackle ahead of injured starter Willie Whitehead and third-year pro Kenny Smith, who has started six games.

\"Kenny will play, but we\'re going to use Kenderick on first and second down,\" Haslett said. \"He deserves the opportunity. Here\'s a guy who was a free agent from LSU and worked his way up from the practice squad.

Well sort of. Kenny is better suited for the 3-technique (lines up tween OG and OT)under-tackle)
He\'s not a true 2-gap type DT (lines up tween Center and either OG).

Remember when camp started he was upset because Sullivan was supposed to play the IDT and Kenny was supposed to play the ODT. When Sullivan showed surprising speed they decided to move him to the outside DT.

Kenny was actually a DE last year. He bulked up this offseason to play the DT. So he actually got beat out by Sullivan, and he was asked to play the middle when Gravy left.

If Grady hadn\'t ballooned up Kenny would primarily be Sullivans back-up.

Thats also why Allen is only playing 1st and 2nd downs. Kenny\'s a better pass rusher and will come in on 3rd downs for pass rush.

Thats why I think the Saints sign a DT to play the nose this offseason.

Sullivan, Smith, and Allen are all better suited for the 3-tech DT. We don\'t have a true 2-gap DT on the roster. although Sullivan probably could, he\'s more valuable as the 3-tech guy because of his initial disruptive burst.
Just my 2 cents.

BTW: I can see maybe trading 1 of the 3 during the off-season for a nose.

tweeky

12-05-2003 02:14 PM

Kenderick Allen to Start and injury updates

Here\'s an old article on the 3-technique... I think Billy originally poosted this a few months back.
Breaking them down with the 3

Norman Hand and La\'Roi Glover of the Saints are defensive tackles like Abbott and Costello were comedians. Partners in the same routine with different roles.
Hand is a nose tackle. He usually is shaded to the inside shoulder of the center and takes on a lot of double-team blocks from the center and guard. He\'s a stout wide body who is expected to stand his ground.

Glover plays the \"3 technique,\" the in-vogue term for the tackle who lines up on the outside shoulder of either guard. He is a one-gap lineman responsible for the hole between the guard and tackle.

The 3 technique tackle usually is lighter and quicker and more of a playmaker. \"You want your 3 technique guy to get upfield, cause havoc in the backfield and hopefully put pressure on the passer,\" says Rams defensive line coach Bill Kollar.

More and more teams are successfully implementing a player in that role. In addition to the Saints, the revitalized Rams defense is using a 3 technique tackle; Brian Young and rookie Damione Lewis have been sharing that position so far this season. Among the other 3-technique tackles are the Buccaneers\' Warren Sapp, the Broncos\' Trevor Pryce, the Seahawks\' John Randle, the Jets\' Shane Burton and the Packers\' Santana Dotson.

Keith Millard, who played for the Vikings from 1985-91 (and later with the Seahawks, Packers and Eagles), might have been the prototype 3 technique tackle. A first-round pick out of Washington State, Millard was a part-time defensive end as a rookie in 1985 in the Vikings\' 3-4 defense.

The next season, Floyd Peters became the new defensive coordinator and the Vikings switched to a 4-3 alignment. Peters moved Millard inside to tackle.

\"He thought that because of my initial quickness I\'d serve better in there,\" recalls Millard. \"He explained it to me that it was almost like playing a defensive end position but you\'re inside. You lined up on a shoulder and basically took off on the snap of the ball.\"

But Millard never heard the term \"3 technique\" until recent years. When he played, the Vikings simply called the position -- and still do -- the under tackle.

Millard, who had a team-high 11 sacks playing as a part-time end as a rookie, led the Vikings with 10 1/2 sacks in his first season as a tackle. In \'89, he erupted for 18 -- a mark that still stands as the unofficial NFL record for most sacks by a tackle.

Tackles who play the 3 technique usually are considered pass-rushing threats. Last season, Glover (17) and Sapp (16 1/2) ranked 1-2 in the NFL in sacks, and Pryce (12) was tied for ninth.

Millard was like the driver of a dragster waiting for the green light. As soon as the ball was snapped, he shot the gap. When he watches 3 technique tackles today, he sees a different game.

\"I\'m seeing a lot more gap control as far as getting their hands on the guards,\" Millard says. \"They\'re engaging and controlling before they penetrate, whereas I slipped past the guards and penetrated immediately.\"

The 3 technique tackle and nose tackle often flip-flop sides during games, depending on the offense\'s alignment. The middle linebacker makes that call. If he waits too long, it can lead to trouble. For example, there have been instances when the two tackles have run into each other while trying to trade sides. \"It looks pretty bad,\" Kollar says.

That\'s called the kids-don\'t-try-this-at-home technique.

Dennis Dillon is a senior writer for The Sporting News.

JKool

12-05-2003 03:04 PM

Kenderick Allen to Start and injury updates

I guess I\'ll ask this again: what happened to Henry Ford? I\'m mean, I realize they waived him, but why did he suck so hard this year - I actually thought he was a worthwhile acquisition (my bad I guess)?

saint5221

12-05-2003 06:17 PM

Kenderick Allen to Start and injury updates

Yea I get the 3 position issue, we went through all this when the team did the tackle tango, shuffling players around in traning camp.(Good repost article though) My suprise is about a undrafted rookie starting his first game, right next to another rookie, in the midddle of what has already been a soft run defense, over a pretty good tackle reguardless of whether it is his usual tackle spot or not. One of Kenny\'s strong points was supposed to be his versitility and ability to play multiple line positions.. I have not been watching Allens play so this move just suprised me. Like I said I hope the kids a gamer because you know the Bucs are going to try to run right at us.

Yea JKool I thought Ford was a good pick up as well when it was made. He just never got to get going because of the injuries and I guess the Saints just got tired of waiting and liked the play of Allen enough to feel Ford was no longer needed.

[Edited on 12/6/2003 by saint5221]

BillyC

12-05-2003 06:23 PM

Kenderick Allen to Start and injury updates

I\'m a beliver in \" If it ain\'t broke don\'t fix it.\" But the middle of the run defense is broke. I like this move and I certainly don\'t think it could hurt too much. If by some strange miricle Allen can make a differnce stopping the run it would go a long ways toward fixing what I believe is the biggest problem with this Saints team.